, 1887-09-20
LAssoING A BEAR.
Nell Clark of Horse Creek Ropes
a Savage Cub.
His Companion Attempts to Capture
the Mother.
A Pitching" Br0ncho and Two
g. Bears Bother a Hunter.

Neil Clark, who resides with his parents
on the Horse creek ranch of the family,
near the line of the Cheyenne & North
ern, had a rather exciting experience on
Sabille creek, just over in Albany county,
last Wednesday.
Young Clark is about Is years of age.
but is a physical giant and fearless rider.
an expert roper and a splendid marks
man. having looked after his fathers
herds and the ranch generally for the
past three years.
On the occasion referred to Neil and a
companion were searching the Sabille for
a band of horses which had strayed from
a roundup outfit during the preceding
night. Nearing a clump of blackberry
bushes they were astonished to observe a
large she silver-tip bear and her cub
making a meal from the ripe fruit. Clark
and his companion watched the animals
for some time and rode to within fifty
yards of them before the mother began
shifting the air suspiciously and emitting
an occasional growl OF warning to her un-
suspecting child. Tue boys halted to devise
a method of warfare upon the enemy and
as they were armed with Ordinary six
shooters and carried but d small supply of
ammunition, concluded to adopt the regu-
lation cowboy method-frst rope the an
finals and then place bullets where they
would be most effective.
The companion insisted upon attacking
the older animal and allotted the cub to
Neil. Both circled the rawhide raitas
over their heads and urging their horses
forward made successful casts almost sim
.ultaneously.
The man who selected ursa mater for
his prey placed the coil about her body.
but the animal somehow squirmed through
the circle and when it was cast a second
time and frightened about her body she
roared ferociously and charged ~furiously
upon the steed and rider. The cowboy
wheeled his willing mount and urged the
terrified horse in the opposite direction.
W z uiauduC Y DCCduICt nCdlJ vi Tue
rope she severed it with her sharp teeth
aud FASTENED to the rescue of her cub,
while her pursurer proceeded to repair
his rata. hoping to entangle and capture
the animal, if possible.
Meantime Neil and the cub were enjoy
ing what the boy afterward denominated
a regular picnic" The rope had de-
prived the young bear of the use of one of
its rear legs, but had not tempered its
bellicose spirit. 1t would roar ~savagely
and rush msdly at the horse, while young
Clark would occasionally fire at it. He
was in a fair way to slaughter the game
when his mount became thoroughly panic
stricken. The cow-pony had often fol
lowed a stampeded herd on stormy nights,
aud struggling bear were too much for
even the steady old patriarch and it be-
gan pitching as cayuse never pitched"
before.
Clark now had his hands full, and to
make matters worse the old bear suddenly
came to the assistance Of her offspring.
Just as the boy was about to unloose the
lariat from the pummel of his saddle and
thus release both bears and likewise lose
his rope, the other huntsnan APP
peared and again began paying court to
the queen of the hills. She was
coy and shy as a Laramie schoolmarm,
however, and running the rope with an
other snap of her strong jaws she forsook
her cub and sought safety in the sur
sounding hills.
Clark's horse was soon quoted down,
and the two hun :ers emptied their revolt
vess into the head of the cub, but did not
succeed in dispatching it until one of the
riders d%ismounted and cut its throat. The
young one weighed a trfe over 300
pounds, and was as handsome as a New
~foundland dog. The skin was sold to
Geo. L. Taylor, of the Capitol Avenue
curiosity store, and will be tanned.
The last bear seen in the Sabille coun-
try was killed by w. o. Owens, of Lara
mic, in 1884, but not until it had nearly
killed two surveyors who had the hardi-
hood to attempt to end its career with
bowie knives.